By AARON MUELLER
Niles Daily Star

The Parrotheads in Michiana are hoping to blow a tropical breeze through Niles as it sponsors a concert featuring the Mr. Myers Band at Riverfront Park tonight.

The tropical rock band from Chicago plays Jimmy Buffett-esque rock and reggae tunes and is slated to begin at 7 p.m.

The band, which formed in 1981, features Todd Donnelly on steel drums. Other instruments include the saxophone, flute, guitar, a variety of percussion instruments and bass.

The president of the Parrotheads in Michiana, Carey Bert, has seen the band live a few times.

“They’re really good,” he said. “They just play a tropical type music and put on a great show.”

The Parrotheads are a Jimmy Buffett fan social club, charitable organization with more than 230 clubs nationwide.

The Michiana club, which is mainly based in Indiana but features a few Michigan members, has been around for about five years and features 90 members. In its existence the club has raised about $80,000 for local charities and contributed 4,000 hours of community service to charities. The group also does annual fundraisers for children who need organ transplants.

“And we know how to get together and have a good time,” Bert said.

This is the first time the Parrotheads have brought a community concert to Niles, and Bert is expecting a relaxing time.

“I think that people will get a good taste of the tropical lifestyle that Jimmy Buffett and his music embody,” Bert said. “Hopefully they will be able to drift away to Margaritaville for a while. Pretend the river is an ocean and get away for a couple hours.”

The Parrotheads will also be raising money for a juvenile diabetes charity at the concert.

Those interested in finding out more about the Parrotheads can visit its website at www.parrotheadsinmichiana.org or look for the guys in Hawaiian shirts and leis at the concert tonight.

For more on the Mr. Myers band, visit www.mrmyers.com.